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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. FERRET.

MAGHINE FOR MAGERATING BEETS, &c.

No.- 243,72z. Patented July 5, 1881.

INVENTQR:

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No.moae1 28heets-Sheet ,2.

A FERRET. MACHINE FOR MAGERATING BEETS, 8w. No. 243,722. I Patented-July 5,1881.

INVENTDR'.

WITNESSES. M

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED FERRET, 0F RoYE, FRANoE.

MACHINE FOR MACERATING BEETS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,722, dated July 5, 1881.

Application filed May 5, 1881. (No model.) Patented in France November 4, 1880. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED FERRET, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Roye, (Somme,) France, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Maceratin g Beets and Removing the Skins therefrom in the Manufacture of Beet-Sugar, of which the following is a specification.

In machines for the removal of the flesh of the beet from the skin by continuous difl'usion in the sugar-manufacture rom vtifis vegetable it has been common to employ a screw or helix arranged to rotate within a cylinder containing water, and heated, so as to force or impel the fragments of beet-root against the current of water, by which the flesh is removed from the skins. These have, however, had objectionable features which my improvements seek to avoid.

The objects of my improvements are to insure a more thorough working of the root-fragments, whereby 'the flesh is more thoroughly and completely removed from the skins or refuse.

The machines hitherto in use employing screws or helices have had, so far as I am aware, a spiral flange fixed to a shaft mounted in the axis of a revolving cylinder, or turning in some cases in a stationary cylinder. Experience has taught us that such .machines do not work satisfactorily when the cylinder is filled with liquid. As soon as the level of the liquid reaches the axis of the horizontally-arranged cylinder a stoppage occurs and the production is'di-fl minished.

My improved machine permits an increased charge, and insures an augmented production .and better work.

- In the drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the machine on a small scale,and Fig. 1 is a similar view arranged to illustrate some of the more important parts on a larger scale. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sections of the machine, taken in different planes. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8.are detached detail views, which will bemore particularly referred to hereinafter. Fig. 9 is an end view, showing the elevator for removing the refuse.

I'arrange within a trough, F, a perforated cylinder, O, mounted on rollers P,,and arranged to be rotated by gears 0. (See Fig. 1.) Fixed.

within and to this cylinder 0 is a spiral flange or blade of sheet metal forming a helix, A. I

avoid the employment of a shaft for the helix and secure the inner edges of the spiral flange A to a spiral strip or plate, B, thus leaving a central axial opening through the helix, which is open to the interior of the cylinderO throughout the length of the helix.

At the end of the cylinder 0 (to the left in Figs. 1 and 1.) is shown a non-perforated and non-rotating cylinder, 0, which forms a continuation of the cylinder 0. This non-perforated cylinder has a hopper, A, at which the fragments of beet-root are inserted, and it contains a shaft, T, bearing a spiral flange, T,

which connects with the flange A and rotates with the latter.

There may be two, three, or even four of the flanges T, so as to form a screw of very quick or steep pitch, whereby the beets are forced rapidly into the convolutions of the helixA.

On the outside of the cylinder 0, and bridging the annular space between it and the trough F, is a spiral flange, D, having a pitch corresponding to that of the internal helix, A. This flange is secured rigidly to the cylinder 0, and has a rubber packing band or ring, E, (see Fig. 7,) secured to its edge, which bears against the inner face of the trough F, and scours or rubs the same when the cylinder is rotated, thus removing all sediment. Another spiral flange orflanges, K, is also secured to the outer periphery of the cylinder 0. This flange, is made in sections, is set to a pitch opposite or contrary to the flange D, so as to cut the surface of the cylinder up into lozenge shaped spaces, and is provided with rubbers E, the same as the flange D. The inner spiral or he lix tends to throw a current outward through the perforations of the cylinder 0, and the intersecting flanges D. and K tend to gather the liquid at the intersections and force it to the center, thus producing a sort of zigzag current from end to end of the cylinder, and accomplishing the same results as a much longer machine of the ordinary kind.

My object is to prevent the formation of a current near the surface of thecylinder, where the roots agglomerate less, and to wash all the more the roots at the center or axis, where they are massed together.

The packing E serves the purpose of gather that so driven in.

in g all the refuse of beet-root which may have escaped from the cylinder into pockets or filters H, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) arranged in front of each of the bearings upon which the cylinder rotates. The remaining pouches, I, are thus suppressed at the points where the screw or helix operates.

In consequence of the motion given to the helical flanges D and K they force themselves against the current of the liquid, drive it back, and compel it to enter the cylinder, and they oppose all external currents. By this incessant ebbing not a particle of the liquid escapes the necessity of traversing at each turn of the cylinder the mass to be diffused.

At the points where the two spiral flanges D and K intersect I arrange apertures L, (see Fig. 1,) from whence a tube, M, extends to the axis of the cylinder, for the purpose of carryin g inward the liquid from the annular space in which play said helices orflanges, which is thus compelled to flow back continuously and uninterruptedly into the cylinder containing the beet-roots, and during the passage an equal quantity of liquid flows outwardly to replace This circulation may be still more increased by the following means: Each of the apertures L (or the outer ends of the tubes M) is fitted with a flared mouth or nozzle, N, (see dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which may correspond in shape and size to one-half the lozenge-shaped space between the flanges D and K. This nozzle N is not, however, quite so deep as the said flanges, a space of one or two centimeters being left between it and the cylinder 0, and between it and the trough F. By the use of these nozzles, at each revolution of the cylinder nearly all the liquid in the annular space between the trough and cylinder is forced back to the axis of the cylinder, and their use avoids too great reliance upon the rubbers E for the prevention of exterior currents.

The exterior helices, D and K, are only interrupted by the gear-wheels O, by which the cylinder is rotated, and the pouches 11 being arranged adjacent to these gears, it follows that the exterior helices will always force the liquid and charge to these points.

In lieu of the larger supporting-rollers 1?, arranged at intervals, I may employ rollers It, (see Figs. 2 and 8,) mounted in bearings in flanges Q, secured to the cylinder 0. These rollers run upon a steel track, S, fixed to the trough F, as clearly shown.

The skins and refuse of the beets, from which all the pulp has been removed, are or may be removed by means of an elevator, 9 (see Fig.

9,) mounted at the end of the machine and driven by a pulley, as.

To heat the mass in the cylinder and trough I prefer to arrange a jacket around the trough, so as to leave a steam-space, U, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, and admit steam thereto in the usual way; and to prevent the pulp from collecting on the inner heated surface of the trough, as it would do, I employ the helices D and K, as before described, one of the func tions of these flanges being to scrape or rub this surface constantly. In lieu of thismethod of heating, however, we may employ other devices analogous to those of the so-called German Difiusing-Battery. One form of this is to arrange heaters at the sides of the apparatus, so as to receive the juice at one turn of the thread and eject it again, heated, at the next turn. Where pipes are employed, however, I prefer coils or serpentines, (represented by V in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.) These are made to slide into the space between the cylinder and trough F at the sides of the apparatus. In Fig. 6 I have shown these pipes enlarged and in detail, so as to illustrate their construction. In this view, a a to represent the straight portionsof the pipes, and b c the connections at the ends. The parts are held together by means of clamping rods or bolts d. The steam enters at c and escapes at f.

As only the inlet and outlet pipes of the coil are connected with the upperrim of thetrough, the whole coil may be removed without stopping the machine. The coils may be arranged at the first third of the machine, and the external screw or helix be interrupted at that point to make room for them. To avoid the formation of external currents at this point I employ short obliquely-arranged blades or flanges W. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 5.) These take the place of the external screw at these points.

The curved inner surface of the trough F is continued upward by means of bent plates of sheet metal, G, secured to the sides of the trough. These rise above the level of the liquid in the trough and prevent the latter from flaring over the external flanges at this point, where the straight side of the trough leaves the curve.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a machine for macerating beets, the internal helix provided with a central bore in lieu of an axial shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for macerating beets, the combination of the perforated cylinder 0, the internal helical flange, A, fixed thereto, and the spirally-arranged plate 13, secured to the inner edge of the flange A, whereby a screw with a central bore is formed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a machine for macerating beets, a perforated cylinder arranged to rotate in a trough, and provided internally and externally with helical flanges, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4.. In a machine for macerating beets, a perforated cylinder arranged to rotate in a cylindrical trough, and provided with an internal helical flange or screw, A, and external helical flanges, D and K, the latter provided with yielding rubbers which scour and rub the inner surface of the trough, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for macerating beets, the combination, with the perforated cylinder 0, provided with an internal screw or helix, A, and external helices, D and K, of a pipe, M, extending from the periphery of the cylinder to near its axis, and provided with a flared mouth-piece, N, whereby, when the cylinder is rotated, the liquid will be forced from outside to its axis, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for macerating beets, the combination of the fixed cylinder 0, provided with a hopper, A, the many-threaded screw or helix arranged to rotate therein, and the perforated cylinder (J, provided with the internal helix or screw, A, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for maceratiug beets, the rotating cylinder 0, mounted on rollers and arranged'to be driven by means of gears O, substantially as shown.

8. In a machine for macerating beets, the combination of the trough F, provided with a steam-jacket U, and curved plates G, with the perforated cylinder 0, provided with external rubbing screws or helices, D and K, all arranged 2 5 substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for macerating beets, the combination, with the jacketed trough F, of the rotating cylinder 0, provided with internal and external helical flanges, and the steam- 3o coil V, all arranged substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED FERRET.

Witnesses:

Rom. M. HooPER, DE ROUGEMONT. 

